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Stars post fourth straight win in 3-2 shootout victory over Blackhawks

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Finishing off their home and home set against the Chicago Blackhawks, and looking to win their fourth straight game, the Dallas Stars were without Antoine Roussel due to an illness. They recalled Curtis McKenzie from the Texas Stars, and he slotted into the lineup on the fourth line for his first NHL game of the season.

The first shift of the season for McKenzie didn’t go according to plan. He was caught for a tripping penalty on Gustav Forsling as he was trying to slow down a hard forecheck. After killing the penalty, the Stars went on the power play by way of Stephen Johns taking a high stick. Though their power play has been sputtering in the last several games, they got it temporarily jumpstarted and cashed in with a goal from Alexander Radulov. He put in a one timer on the glove side after some exquisite passing from the top unit. The Stars weren’t up for very long, and Cody Franson buried a wrist shot from the point to tie the game up. Anton Forsberg drew the start for an ailing Corey Crawford and had to make a few brilliant saves early, including one on Radulov after the Russian winger scored. The Stars went 1-for-2 on the power play and finished the first period tied with the Blackhawks at one.

The second period yielded two more power plays for the Stars and they were rewarded for possessing the puck for the majority of the frame. Radulov drew a tripping minor after at least two minutes spent in the offensive zone by the top two lines of Dallas. The second was drawn from Devin Shore tripping over the stick of his former teammate Patrick Sharp. The Stars did have a minor gaffe in committing a penalty for too many men on the ice. Brett Ritchie created a turnover in the neutral zone before everyone could get in their line change. Shore did some amazing things on the penalty kill, dangling and dodging his way through offensive zone with the puck though we was swarmed by several Blackhawks. Radek Faksa kept up his torrid recent scoring pace for the Stars and scored his fifth goal in three games on a centering pass from Remi Elie. In the final minute of the middle frame, the Blackhawks executed a redirection play as Connor Murphy fired from the point and Brandon Saad timed his cut to the crease perfectly. Saad simultaneously took away the vision from Ben Bishop and redirected the puck off the shaft of his stick to tie the game again. The period ended with Greg Pateryn committing a slash, and the Blackhawks would have their power play time carry over.

The Blackhawks benefitted from their time on the early third period power play and set up shop in the Stars’ zone for the first four minutes. Several Dallas defenseman were chipping in with blocked shots and playing with appropriate levels of desperation. Later, the Stars had the puck when a delayed penalty was called on the Blackhawks but they sent too many men on the ice when they emptied their net for their second such infraction of the game. The ensuing 4-on-4 didn’t go anywhere for either team, but the fans were treated plenty of hard play in the period. Mattias Janmark had an opportunity to win the game with a 1-on-1 in the final minute, but his wrist shot went over the net. In overtime, Bishop broke up a breakaway play by diving several feet out of his crease to cover the puck. Shore had a dangle in front of Forsberg’s net that he couldn’t get to go. With seven seconds left, Tyler Seguin drew a hooking call to give the Stars minimal 4-on-3 time.

The game went to a shootout, both Radulov and Seguin scored on the Stars’ first two attempts. Bishop made both of his saves, including one on Patrick Kane, to give Dallas its fourth straight victory, and second straight over the Blackhawks.

Play of the Game

Ben Bishop came way out of his crease in overtime to diffuse a breakaway that would’ve won the game for the Blackhawks. He dove on the puck at the right time to freeze play and keep his team in the game.

The Upset Three Stars of the Night

1. Ben Bishop (33 saves on 35 shots) – stayed calm and cool throughout despite an onslaught of chances from the Blackhawks. He was also perfect in the shootout.

2. Anton Forsberg  (32 saves on 34 shots) – kept his team in it all night with one big save after another. He stepped in for Corey Crawford admirably.

3. Alexander Radulov (1 PPG) –  scored the opening goal and temporarily pulled the Stars’ power play out of the gutter. He also scored on the shootout.

The Goals

First Period

5:57 Alexander Radulov scored on the power play from a one timer short side. He was set up by some nifty passing from the first unit. Stars 1, Blackhawks 1

8:31 Cody Franson tied the game up on a slap shot from the point that trickled in past Ben Bishop. Stars 1, Blackhawks 1

Second Period

12:15 Radek Faksa scored his fifth goal in three games as he beat Anton Forsberg glove side from the slot. Remi Elie had the primary assist and made a perfect centering pass. Stars 2, Blackhawks 1

19:19 Brandon Saad skated to the crease just in time for a point shot from Connor Murphy. He took away Ben Bishop’s vision and got just enough of the puck with the shaft of his stick for the redirect. Stars 2, Blackhawks 2

Third Period

No goals

Overtime

No goals

Blackhawks lineup
Brandon Saad — Jonathan Toews — Richard Panik
Nick Schmaltz — Artem Anisimov — Patrick Kane
Patrick Sharp — Ryan Hartman — Alex DeBrincat
Lance Bouma — Tommy Wingels — John Hayden

Duncan Keith — Cody Franson
Connor Murphy — Brent Seabrook
Gustav Forsling — Jan Rutta

Anton Forsberg
J.F. Berube

Injured: Michal Rozsival (concussion), Corey Crawford (lower body)

Scratched: Michal Kempny, Tanner Kero, Jordan Oesterle

Stars lineup
Jamie Benn — Tyler Seguin — Alexander Radulov
Mattias Janmark — Jason Spezza — Devin Shore
Remi Elie — Radek Faksa — Tyler Pitlick
Curtis McKenzie — Gemel Smith — Brett Ritchie

Esa Lindell — John Klingberg
Dan Hamhuis — Greg Pateryn
Jamie Oleksiak — Stephen Johns

Ben Bishop
Kari Lehtonen

Injured: Marc Methot (knee), Martin Hanzal (hamstring), Antoine Roussel (illness)

Scratched: Julius Honka

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Comments

  1. What does it take to get a call in OT? On a sequence with about 1.5 mins left, the Stars were in 2 v 2 & the third Star has beat his man & was breaking down the middle of the ice.

    The Hawk defender hooked, then grabbed, & drug his man down from behind to keep him from joining the play as the tail gunner in the slot.

    I realize they got Kane with 7 seconds left for a hook that saved the game as Tyler was about to end the game with the puck on his stick right in front of the crease, but I’d love the see some consistency between regulation & OT from the men with whistles.

    Let’s Go Stars

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